Rochford District Council July 2009 A Planning Information Leaflet I want to build in my garden a detached shed; a greenhouse; swimming pool; enclosure; or other domestic building
If you require a copy of this leaflet in large print, Braille or translated into another language, please contact: The Planning Department Rochford District Council Tel: 01702 318191 Email: planning.enquiries@rochford.gov.uk or visit the website: http://www.rochford.gov.uk
I want to build in my garden: A detached shed; A domestic greenhouse; Swimming pool enclosure; or Other domestic building Some development can proceed as "permitted development". This means that a planning application is not required. If the answer to any of the following questions is "Yes", planning permission needs to be applied for. If you would like written confirmation that planning permission is either required or your development is classed as permitted, it will be necessary for you to submit a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) to establish this. 1. Is the property a flat or maisonette or in any commercial use? 2. Is the house a listed building? 3. If the house is in a conservation area would the proposed building be situated on land between a wall forming the side elevation of the house and the site boundary? July 2009 1
4. Has your house had its permitted development rights removed as this may affect what can be built in the garden? It will only be possible to confirm this by looking at the original planning consent for the house. Note: The removal of Permitted Development rights is most common on estates built in the last 20 years and on certain individual houses. Please check with the Planning Division. 5. Does the proposed building, including any guttering or foundations, extend on to land outside your ownership? Note: The use of the building for purposes incidental to the enjoyment of the dwelling house, e.g. a home office, games room or as occasional guest accommodation would come under this definition. If the building had its own facilities, e.g. toilet, bath/shower, cooking facilities, etc. it may be regarded as a separate dwelling and would require planning permission. If unsure about this, please check with the Planning Division. 6. Does the proposed building, together with any other outbuildings and extensions to the house, cover more than half your total garden area? Note: This does not include all land with the property, merely the immediate garden area. If unsure about the curtilage of your property, please check with the Planning Division. July 2009 2
7. Is the proposed building situated on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation of the original dwelling house? Note: In most cases the principal elevation fronts the highway and/or contains the entrance to the house. 8. Does the building have more than one storey? 9. Does the height of the building exceed 4 metres in height with a dual pitched roof, 2.5 metres in the case of a building within 2 metres of a boundary or 3 metres in any other case e.g. a flat roof? In each case does the height of the eaves exceed 2.5 metres. 10. Does the building include a veranda, balcony or raised platform e.g. decking? In the latter case raised means more than 300 millimetres above ground level. Building Regulations Whether your shed, greenhouse or swimming pool enclosure is permitted development or if it requires planning consent, you must also consider whether you need to submit a Building Regulation application. The Building Regulations control the way in which a building is constructed, for example, the type of foundations, walls, insulation required. If the answer to each of the following questions is "Yes" then Building Regulation application is not necessary for the construction of a these buildings. July 2009 3
Small detached buildings 1. A detached single storey building having a floor area which does not exceed 30m 2, which contains no sleeping accommodation and is a building; a. Which at no point is less than 1m from any boundary, or b. Which is constructed of substantially non-combustible material. 2. A detached building having a floor area less than 15m 2 which contains no sleeping accommodation. Even if the building does not require a building regulation application; All glazing must satisfy the requirements of Part N of the Building Regulations and safety glass must be installed in appropriate locations. Electrical work needs to comply with Part P of the Building Regulations. Where electric sockets and lighting are installed in the building, the best option is to employ an electrician who is a member of a Competent Persons scheme and can self certify their work. Alternatively, you may need to make a Building Regulation application. Further advice and application forms is available on our website http://www.rochford.gov.uk/buildingcontrol July 2009 4
Contact Information Officers are available by phone from 8.00 am to 5.30 pm Monday to Thursday and 5.00 pm on Friday or you can visit the offices between 8.30 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Thursday (4.30 pm on Friday) and speak to a Duty Officer. Telephone: Planning: 01702 318191 Building Control: 01702 318081 Fax: 01702 318181 Or you can email: planning.applications@rochford.gov.uk building.control@rochford.gov.uk July 2009 5